A ticking health time bomb: 42 million women suffer from Endometriosis in India

Hyderabad: Endometriosis is as common as diabetes in India with 1 in 10 women on average suffering from it. The only challenge is that many of them are not aware. Diagnosis is poor or happens at a very later stage.

Estimates show that 42 million women in India are suffering from the disease.

“One in ten women of reproductive age has endometriosis, making it as common as diabetes. However, it can frequently take a person 7 to 10 years on average to acquire an accurate diagnosis owing to underdiagnosis and misinterpretation,” said Dr. Rooma Sinha, Gynaecologist at Apollo Health.

Endometriosis affects the womb and delayed diagnosis has revealed significant scarring, and harmed ovaries and fallopian tubes. This causes a lot of issues in conceiving and they require fertility treatment which on time will help them conceive.

An undertreated ailment

Endometriosis is a serious yet undertreated and underfunded ailment.

Dr. Vimee Bindra, the founder of the Endometriosis Foundation of India said this is a common ailment in women but the diagnosis is very poor. It is frequently misinterpreted in the Indian healthcare system.

There is a need for more endometriosis specialists in India to identify the problem in women. For this reason, the Endometriosis Foundation of India has approached the state and central government for including this specialty in the medical curriculum as a separate subject.

“For the next five years, there must be a focus strategy to raise awareness, diagnose, treat, and support women affected by this condition. For this reason, there must be a separate endometriosis-specific facility set up in medical institutions," explained Dr Bindra.

Insufficient care in the country

“The level of endometriosis care available in India is insufficient to deal with the severity of the problem. The effective execution of the suggested strategy would enhance the lives of numerous women and advance India's healthcare system as a whole” said Dr. Sudha Madhuri, Gynaecologist and Obstetrician.

Complications for women

“The two most common complications from endometriosis are infertility and ovarian cancer,” said Dr. Revathy Ramaswamy, a senior gynecologist at Apollo Hospitals.

Both these conditions require prolonged treatment and affect the overall health of the women.